Plural-poled, genderless electrical connector

ABSTRACT

A plural-poled, genderless electrical connector having main and auxiliary contacts which telescopically engage with counterpart contacts on an identical connector. The contacts are arranged to provide a make first-break last electrical connection sequence for the main contacts and a make last-break first electrical contact sequence for the auxiliary contacts. A staggered peak insertion force load is obtained from a predetermined physical placement of the contacts within the connector.

United States Patent 1191 Winkler 1451 Feb. 26, 1974 4] PLURAL-POLED,GENDERLESS ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR [75] Inventor: Edward D. Winkler,Reading, Mass.

[73] Assignee: Anderson Power Products, Inc.,

I Boston, Mass.

[22] Filed: Jan. 22, 19.73

[21] Appl. No.: 325,448

[52] US. Cl. 339/49 R, 339/31 R, 339/184 R [51] Int. Cl H01r 25/00 [58]Field of Search 339/47-49, 45, 339/46, 184, 186, 31-33 [56] ReferencesCited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,688,243 8/1972 Yamada et a1....-.....'.339 49 R 482,306 9/1892 Hall 339/49 R 5/1963 Winkler 339/47 R Katzin339/278 M Ruehlemann et al. 339/31 R X Primary ExaminerMarvin A.Champion Assistant Examiner-Terrell P. Lewis Attorney, Agent, orFirm-Chittick, Thompson & Pfund [57] ABSTRACT A plural-poled, genderlesselectrical connector having main and auxiliary contacts whichtelescopically engage with counterpart contacts on an identicalconnector. The contacts are arranged to provide a make first-break lastelectrical connection sequence for the main contacts and a makelast-break first electrical Contact sequence for the auxiliary contacts.A staggered peak insertion force load is obtained from a predeterminedphysical placement of the contacts within the connector. 1

9 Claims, 11 Drawing Figures PATENTED FEB26 I974 SHEET 1 BF 2 FIG. 30

FIG. 30

FIG. 3b

PLURAL-POLED, GENDERLESS ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION The present invention relates to electrical connectors ingeneral, and more particularly, to a plural-poled, genderless electricalconnector.

Genderless electrical connectors are well known in the electricconnector art. Representative examples of such connectors are shown inthe following U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,091,746; 3,2l8,599; 3,259,870; and3,654,586. The genderless type electrical connector has gained wideacceptance in the batterymotive industry for connecting anddisconnecting the battery pack cables. Currently available genderlessconnectors include those manufactured and sold by Anderson PowerProducts, Inc., 145 Newton Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02135, underthe United States Registered Trademarks SB and POWERPOLE.

In the batterymotive industry, electrical charging of the vehiclesbattery pack is a relatively frequent and routine operation. The chargeris electrically connected to the battery pack through the battery cableconnectors. After the connection is made, the charger is turned on for apredetermined period of time or until the battery pack reaches a fullycharged state. The charger is then turned off and disconnected from thebattery cable connector.

It is desirable to make and break the electrical connections between thecharger and the battery pack during a zero current or de-energizedcondition. Although the de-energized making and breaking of thechargerbattery cable electrical connections can be achieved throughmanual operation of the charger, such an operation is susceptible tohuman error. It is, accordingly, one of the objects of the presentinvention to provide an electrical connector having main and auxiliaryor control contacts which can be employed to control the operation of abattery charger. The sequence of operation for connecting the charger toits battery pack is as follows: (1) the main contacts close in ade-energized condition; (2) the auxiliary contacts close; (3) a relaywithin the charger controlled by the auxiliary contacts closes; and (4)the charger is energized and connected to the battery pack through thepreviously closed main contacts. The sequence for disconnecting thecharger is as follows: (1) the auxiliary contacts open; (2) the relaycontrolled by these contacts opens; (3) the,

charges is de-energized; and, (4) the main contacts open in ade-energized condition.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION It is a general object of the presentinvention to provide a plural-poled, genderless electrical connectorhaving main and auxiliary contacts which telescopically engage withcounterpart contacts in an identical connector.

It is a specific object of the present invention to provide aplural-poled, genderless electrical connector in which the main contactsare arranged to provide a make first-break last electrical connectionsequence while the auxiliary or control contacts are arranged to providea make last-break first electrical connection sequence.

It is another object of the invention to provide a plural-poled,genderless electrical connector in which the contacts are positioned toprovide a staggered peak insertion force load.

It is a feature of the invention that the electrical connector of thepresent invention comprises a combination of two presently existingelectrical connectors.

It is another feature of the present invention that the components ofthe electrical connector can be assembled easily and that the electricalcontacts can be electrically secured to the connector cables before thecontacts are inserted into the electrical connector.

According to the preferred embodiment of the invention, a plurality ofelectrical connectors of the type described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,218,599and 3,259,870 are positioned within and held by a modified electricalconnector of the type described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,091,746.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The objects and features of thepresent invention set forth above and other objects and features of theinvention will best be understood from a detailed description of apreferred embodiment thereof, taken for purposes of illustration andshown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a pair of identical, genderless,plural-poled electrical connectors in accordance with the preferredembodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the inner-housing portion of one of theidentical connectors of FIG. 1 showing the spring biasing means for tworigid electrical contacts, one of which is illustrated in FIG. 2;

FIGS. 3a, 3b and 3c, are plan and end elevation views, respectively, ofthe inner-housing portion of one of the identical connectors shown inFIG. 1;

FIGS. 44, 4b and 4c, are plan and end elevation views, respectively, ofthe outer-housing portion of one of the identical connectors shown inFIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic view of two sets of mating electrical contactsshowing the relative position of the electrical contacts in each set;

FIG. 6 is a view in side elevation partially broken away showing twoelectrical contacts in the fully inserted, closed position; and

FIG. 7 is a diagrammatic view of three electrical contacts illustratingtheir relative positions to achieve a common contact closed center line.

Turning now to the drawings and particularly to FIG. 1 thereof, there isshown in perspective view a pair of identical, four-pole,-genderless,electrical connectors indicated generally by the reference numerals l0and 12. The connectors 10 and 12 are exact counterparts adopted forlongitudinal telescopic engagement of their connecting ends indicated at14 and 14', respectively. In the preferred embodiment of the invention,the plural-poled, genderless electrical connectors 10 and 12 comprise acombination of the electrical connectors shown and described in U.S.Pat. Nos. 3,091,746 and 3,259,870. The electrical connector described inU.S. Pat. No. 3,259,870 is identified in FIGS. 1 through 4 of thedrawings at 16, generally. The electrical connectors 16 are positionedwithin a modified housing 18 of the electrical connector described inU.S. Pat. No. 3,091,746. Reference to these two United States LettersPatents should be made in connection with the following description of apreferred embodiment of the invention.

The connectors and 12 each have a pair of electric cable terminals orcontacts which are electrically secured to corresponding cables 22. Theconnectors also contain a pair of the previously mentioned separateconnectors 16 each of which in turn contains a cable terminal or contact24 which is electrically secured to a corresponding cable 26.

The interrelationship between the superposed electrical connectors 16and the electrical connector housing 18 can best be understood byreferring to FIGS. 2 through 4 in conjunction with the perspective viewof the connectors shown in FIG. 1. In the preferred embodiment of theinvention, the connector housing 18 comprises an insulated housing whichis split longitudinally into two sections: an inner housing 28 shown inFIGS. 2 and 3; and, an outer housing shown in FIG. 4. The two housingsare detachably connected together by means of bolts 32 and nuts 34 asshown in FIG. 1.

The insulated housings 28 and are arranged to support two identicalrigid contact or terminal members 20. For purposes of clarity, onecontact member 20 has been removed from the inner housing 28 depicted inFIG. 2. Each contact 20 is provided with a cylindrical end portion 36which is bored to receive the end of an electrical cable, such as, cable22. The contacting end of each terminal 20 comprises an elongated flatportion 38 substantially rectangular in cross section and provided witha rounded or convex end portion 40 projecting from one surface thereof.The opposite face of the contacting end of each terminal is providedwith a laterally extended shoulder portion forming a notch 41 (see FIG.5) arranged to be engaged by the inner end of an elongated, U-shapedleaf spring 42 (see FIG. 6). The U-shaped spring 42 is held within thehousing in opposed grooves 44 formed within the housing. Each housingalso has two hollowed out, semicircular body portions 46 which formcircular opening in the assembled connector through which the cables 22exit from the connector.

The inner housing 28 is provided with two spaced, forwardly extendingterminal receiving pockets 48 and 50 which are substantially U-shaped incross section and closed at their outer end. The pockets 48 and 50 arealigned with their respective cable openings formed by the semicirculargrooves 46.

The outer housing portion 30 is provided with a corresponding, forwardlyextending portion 51 that is coextensive with the body portion of thehousing and shaped to provide two inverted U-shaped sockets 52 and 54.The dockets are open at their outer ends and closed at their inner endsby transversely extending wall protions 56. A longitudinally extendingwall portion 58 separates the two sockets.

When the two housings are assembled as shown in FIG. 1, the socketforming extension of the outer housing 30 extends over the terminalreceiving pockets 46 and 48 of the inner housing 28. The sockets 52 and54 are sized to snugly receive the corresponding pockets 48 and 50 of asecond and identical connector. Thus, in the assembled form thecontacting end of each terminal is enclosed in its respective pocketexcept for the engaging face thereof which is resiliently urged by theleaf spring 42 toward the cooperating terminal. When the two connectorsare telescoped together in longitudinal engagement as indicated by thedashed lines in FIG. I, the insertion distance is limited by theengagement of the outer housing end portion 60 with a shouldered portion62 in the inner housing 28.

The preceding description has been directed to the components of thepresent invention which are common with the components of the electricalconnector described in US. Pat. No. 3,091,746. It has already beenmentioned that the preferred embodiment of the present inventioncomprises a combination of the electrical connector shown in US. Pat.No. 3,259,870, and the connector shown in the previously mentioned US.Pat. No. 3,091,746. However, in order to accommodate the electricalconnectors 16 within the connector housing 18, the inner and outerhousings 28 and 30 have been modified with respect to the correspondinghousings shown in said US. Pat. No. 3,091,746.

Referring to said patent and the drawings of the present application, itcan be seen that the central portion of the inner and outer housing 28and 30 has been altered to accommodate the electrical connectors 16.Specifically, the transverse distance between the extensions which formthe terminal receiving pockets 46 and 48 has been increased to provideroom for the electrical connectors 16. In the modified version, eachhousing has a socket 54 which has the same configuration and size inplan view as the electrical connector 16.

Looking at FIG. 2, it can be seen that the inner housing 28 has a pairof transversely extending projections 66 which cooperate withcorresponding notches 68 in the connector 16. The combination of thehousing projection 66 and notches 68 serve to accurately position theconnector 16 for telescopic engagement with an identical connector andhold the connector within the inner housing 28.

Each of the housings 28 and 30 has a longitudinally extending,semicircular cable receiving groove 70 for the connector cables 26. Themain contact cable receiving grooves 46 and the auxiliary contacts cablereceiving groove 70 greatly simplify the assembly of the plural-poledconnector of the present invention.

A number of different assembly sequences are possible given the splithalf configuration of the electrical connectors 10 and 12. For example,the connectors 16 can be positioned within each of the respective innerand outer housings 28 and 30 before the housings are bolted together bymeans of bolts 32. Thereafter, the pre-assembled main connector contacts20 and cables 22 can be inserted into the connector from the rearthrough the annular passageways defined by the semicircular grooves 46.In a similar manner, an auxiliary contact cable assembly comprisingcontacts 24 and cables 26 can be inserted into the electrical connectors16 through the passage formed by the semicircular grooves 70.Alternatively, each of the respective contactcable assemblies can beformed and inserted into the respective housings before the inner andouter housings 28 and 30 are bolted together.

Although the preceding description has been directed to the splithousing configuration of the preferred embodiment, it should beunderstood that the present invention is not limited to an electricalconnector having separate inner and outer housings 28 and 30. Forexample, the two housings can be combined into a single molded unit asdepicted in FIG. 6. However, a different contact biasing spring andspring holding arrangement must be employed in the single housingversion of the present invention.

One suitable configuration for the contact biasing springs 46 and 48 fora single housing version of the present invention is described in U.S.Pat. No. 3,259,870. In that patent, the spring is T-shaped in plan viewand slides into the single housing from the rear through the cablereceiving channel. Means disclosed in the patent are provided forsecuring the contact spring in position within the housing. Thisarrangement is suitable for use in the present invention and is thepreferred embodiment thereof for a single piece housing.

If a single piece housing is used, the receiving sockets 64 are modifiedby eliminating the projection 66 so that the electrical connector 16 canbe inserted into the housing from the contacting end 14. The electricalconnectors 16 are held within the single piece housing by staking or byusing a pin member (not shown) which extends through the housing and ispositioned within the connector notches 68.

It has already been mentioned that one of the objects of the presentinvention is to provide a plural-poled, genderless electrical connectorhaving make first-break last main contacts and auxiliary contacts whichmake last and break first. This particular electrical sequence isobtained in connectors and 12 by means of the configuration of the mainand auxiliary electrical contacts and by relative positions of thecontacts with respect to each other and to the connector housing 18 andthe connector 16.

The relative positions of the contacts 20 and 24 can best be understoodby looking at FIGS. 2, 4a, 5, 6 and 7. Referring first to FIG. 2, thedistance from the connecting end 72 of the forward extension which formspockets 46 and 48 back to the shoulder 62 is identified by the smallletter a. The dashed line in FIG. 2 indicates a distance from shoulder62 equal to one-half the distance a. The distance a equals the insertiondistance for the connectors 10 and 12 when they are inserted together intelescopic engagement. It should be noted that the a/2 distance dashedline does not intersect the center portion of the convex or crowned area40 of the contact 20.

Looking now at FIG. 4, the outer housing 30 has similar distancerelationships for its components. Thus, the distance from the outerhousing forward end 60 to the forward surface of the transverse wall 56is equal to the previously mentioned distance a. The center line AA ispositioned at a distance of a/2. y

A similar configuration is also employed for the smaller connector 16.The distance from the forward end 74 back to shoulder 76 (see FIG. 1) isequal to a distance b which corresponds to the insertion distance forthe connectors 16. The center line AA is located at a distance b/2 fromthe shoulder 76.

Referring now to FIGS. 5 and 6, the center line of the crowned convexportion 40 of each contact 20 is indicated by the dashed line BB. Itshould be noted that the contact crown center line BB does notcorrespond to the housing center line AA which is located back from theconnecting end of each housing by distance equal to one-half theconnector insertion distance. i.e., distance a/2 In FIG. 5, the smallercontact 24 has been moved upwardly from the dotted position to the solidline position for purposes of clarity. It can be seen from an inspectionof FIG. 5 that the smaller contact 24 is located behind the crown centerline BB of the larger contact 20.

When the two connectors are inserted into each other in longitudinaltelescoping engagement as shown in FIG. 6, the final contact point forthe two connectors 20 is defined by the center line AA which is locatedexactly one-half of the distance a from the forward end 60 to thetransverse wall 56. If a plurality of different size contacts arearranged as shown in FIG. 7 with their respective closed contactpositions being defined by the line A'A, this line will be located withrespect to each individual connector at a distance equal to onehalf ofthe insertion distance for the particular connector.

If three different size connectors are employed as shown in FIG. 7 inside-by-side or superposed relationship, the making electrical sequencewill be in order, connector 20, connector 20' and connector 24.Conversely, the breaking sequence will be connector 24, connector 20'and finally connector 20. In the fourpole version of the presentinvention, the main contacts 20 make first and break last while theauxiliary contacts 24 make last and break first. The sequential makingand breaking of the electrical connectors, each of which is springbiased as discussed above, provides for a staggered peak insertion forcethereby facilitating the insertion of one connector into anotherconnector and the subsequent separation of the mated connectors.

Having described in detail a preferred embodiment of my invention, itwill now be apparent to those skilled in the art that numerousmodificatons can be made thereto without departing from the scope of thefollowing claims. For example, more than two main contacts 20 can beemployed as well as other numbers of auxiliary contacts 24 and thecurrent carrying capacities of each can also be varied to accommodate aparticular situation.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters of the United States is:

1. A plural-pole, genderless electrical connector comprising:

1. a first hollow insulated housing means having:

a. first and second rigid terminal members positioned within said firsthousing means and carried in detached relation to the walls thereof,said first and second rigid terminal members being adapted fortelescopic engagement with corresponding first and second rigid terminalmembers of a duplicate genderless electrical connector; and,

b. means for spring biasing said first and second rigid terminal members2. a second hollow insulated housing means having:

Patent tioned to provide a make first-break last sequence for said firstand second rigid terminal members and a make last-break first sequencefor said third rigid terminal when said rigid terminals aretelescopically engaged with corresponding rigid terminals in aduplicate, genderless electrical connector.

2. The electrical connector of claim 1 further comprising:

l. a third hollow insulated housing means having:

a. a fourth rigid terminal positioned within said third housing meansand carried indetached relation to the walls thereof, said fourth rigidterminal member being adapted for telescopic engagement with acorresponding fourth rigid terminal member of a duplicate genderlesselectrical connector; and,

b. means for spring biasing said fourth rigid terminal member 2. meansfor securing said third hollow insulated housing means with respect tosaid second hollow insulated housing means.

3. The electrical connector of claim 2 wherein said second and thirdhollow insulated housing means are secured with respect to each other sothat said third and fourth rigid terminals make and break together whensaid rigid terminals are telescopically engaged with corresponding rigidterminals in a duplicate genderless electrical connector.

4. The electrical connector of claim 1 wherein at least a portion ofsaid second insulated housing means is positioned within said firstinsulated housing means.

5. The electrical connector of claim 1 wherein said first hollowinsulated housing means comprises detachable inner and outer housingsand means for detachably securing said housings together and wherein atleast a portion of said second hollow insulated housing means ispositioned within and between said inner and outer housings and heldthereby when said housings are secured together.

6. The electrical connector of claim 3 wherein said second and thirdinsulated housing means are secured with respect to each other insuperposed relation.

7. The electrical connector of claim 3 wherein said second and thirdinsulated housing means are secured with respect to each other inside-by-side relation.

8. The electrical connector of claim 1 further comprising:

l. a third hollow insulated housing means having:

a. a fourth rigid terminal positioned within said third housing meansand carried in detached relation to the walls thereof, said fourth rigidterminal member being adapted for telescopic engagement with acorresponding fourth rigid terminal member of a duplicate genderlesselectrical connector; and,

b. means for spring biasing said fourth rigid terminal member 2. meansfor securing said third hollow insulated housing means with respect tosaid first hollow insulated housing means.

9. The electrical connector of claim 8 wherein said second and thirdhollow insulated housing means are secured with respect to the firsthollow insulated housing so that said third and fourth rigid terminalsmake and break together when said rigid terminals are telescopicallyengaged with corresponding rigid terminals in a duplicate genderlesselectrical connector.

1. A plural-pole, genderless electrical connector comprising:
 1. a firsthollow insulated housing means having: a. first and second rigidterminal members positioned within said first housing means and carriedin detached relation to the walls thereof, said first and second rigidterminal members being adapted for telescopic engagement withcorresponding first and second rigid terminal members of a duplicategenderless electrical connector; and, b. means for spring biasing saidfirst and second rigid terminal members
 2. a second hollow insulatedhousing means having: a. a third rigid terminal positioned within saidsecond housing means and carried in detached relation to the wallsthereof, said third rigid terminal member being adapted for telescopicengagement with a corresponding third rigid terminal member of aduplicate genderless electrical connector; and, b. means for springbiasing said third rigid terminal member
 3. means for securing saidsecond hollow housing means with respect to said first hollow housingmeans with said rigid terminal members being positioned to provide amake first-break last sequence for said first and second rigid terminalmembers and a make last-break first sequence for said third rigidterminal when said rigid terminals are telescopically engaged withcorresponding rigid terminals in a duplicate, genderless electricalconnector.
 2. a second hollow insulated housing means having: a. a thirdrigid terminal positioned within said second housing means and carriedin detached relation to the walls thereof, said third rigid terminalmember being adapted for telescopic engagement with a correspondingthird rigid terminal member of a duplicate genderless electricalconnector; and, b. means for spring biasing said third rigid terminalmember
 2. means for securing said third hollow insulated housing meanswith respect to said second hollow insulated housing means.
 2. Theelectrical connector of claim 1 further comprising:
 2. means forsecuring said third hollow insulated housing means with respect to saidfirst hollow insulated housing Means.
 3. The electrical connector ofclaim 2 wherein said second and third hollow insulated housing means aresecured with respect to each other so that said third and fourth rigidterminals make and break together when said rigid terminals aretelescopically engaged with corresponding rigid terminals in a duplicategenderless electrical connector.
 3. means for securing said secondhollow housing means with respect to said first hollow housing meanswith said rigid terminal members being positioned to provide a makefirst-break last sequence for said first and second rigid terminalmembers and a make last-break first sequence for said third rigidterminal when said rigid terminals are telescopically engaged withcorresponding rigid terminals in a duplicate, genderless electricalconnector.
 4. The electrical connector of claim 1 wherein at least aportion of said second insulated housing means is positioned within saidfirst insulated housing means.
 5. The electrical connector of claim 1wherein said first hollow insulated housing means comprises detachableinner and outer housings and means for detachably securing said housingstogether and wherein at least a portion of said second hollow insulatedhousing means is positioned within and between said inner and outerhousings and held thereby when said housings are secured together. 6.The electrical connector of claim 3 wherein said second and thirdinsulated housing means are secured with respect to each other insuperposed relation.
 7. The electrical connector of claim 3 wherein saidsecond and third insulated housing means are secured with respect toeach other in side-by-side relation.
 8. The electrical connector ofclaim 1 further comprising:
 9. The electrical connector of claim 8wherein said second and third hollow insulated housing means are securedwith respect to the first hollow insulated housing so that said thirdand fourth rigid terminals make and break together when said rigidterminals are telescopically engaged with corresponding rigid terminalsin a duplicate genderless electrical connector.